Nail-plate feeder



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

J; F. HAMMOND.

. NAILPLATE FEEDER. No. 278,943. Patented June 5,1883.

gammy n (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F. HAMMOND.

NAIL PLATE FEEDER. No. 278,943. Pd Patented June 5,1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet J-. F. HAMMOND.

NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

No. 278,943. v Patented June's, 1883.

CG N '5 I it N PETERS, Fmlo-umo n he Wnhingifln. 01:.

j UNITED ST ATES PATENT QFFICE...

JOHN F. HAMMOND, or OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

NAIL-PLIATIEVFEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,943, dated June 5, 1883, Application filed January 10,1883. th'omndl.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN F. HAMMOND, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha,

Xebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nail-Plate Feeders, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptiomsutficient to enable any one skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

nections.

,1 connected thereto; end of the barrel and of the nose-piece removed. Fig.8 is a view in longitudinal vertical section My present invention has reference to the improvement of the apparatus for feeding nail plates or blanks to the cutting knives in machines wherein both a reciprocating and rotary motion is imparted to the plate-holding barrel, in order that the opposite sides of the blank may be successively subjected to the action of the cutters; and especially does it relate to the improvement of the machine for which Letters Patent of the United States were issuedto me on the 10th day of October, 1882. In such patented m'a'chinethe several parts are so constructed and relatively arranged that the plate-holding barrel shall be receded or withdrawn a short distance while the plate'is still held by the bits of the cutting-knives, whereby a suflicicnt surface of the blank is antomatically exposed to form the next succeeding nail. In the present form of machine a like result is accomplished; but the mechanism therefor has been improved in various essential particulars which practice has demonstrated of value.

These improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, are hereinafter described, and are particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

Figure 1 represents a view of the machine, partly in side elevation and partly'in vertical longitudinal section. Fig.2 is aview in front elevation. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the plate-holding barrel and connections,

' the bed of the machine beingshown in section.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the link mechanism, the barrel -yoke and yoke-bar being in section.

.Fig. 5 is a view, partly in plan and partly in section,of the plateholding barrel and its con Fig. 6 is a detail view, showing in perspective the baseplate and the yoke-bar Fig. 7 is a plan view of the of a portion of the plate-holding barrel, showing the box-bearin g andthe detachable grooved shell in positionflthereon. Fig. 9 is a detail view,in rear elevatiomof the rocking standard for connection with the eccentric mechanism. Fig. 10 is a detail view, in side elevation, of the rocking standard, a portion of the same being ter illustrating the position within the 'rock-. ing standard of the arm extending from the eccentric yoke. I

' A designates the bed of the machine, upon which is sustained in the usual manner the fixed cutting-knite A; and B designates the cutting-bar of ordinary construction, by which the movable knife B is carried. To the under side of this bed A is attached, by means f the headed screw-bolt 1, 'the base-plate A and the intermediate bearing-plate, 2, pro vided upon its under side with the grooves 3, adapted to receive the ends of the adjusting cts ,in the base-plate.

It will be noticed that the perforation of the base-plate through which passes the bolt 1 is double concaved, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to permit said plate (which sustains the platebejinoved vertically for the purpose of adjusting said barrel to knife-beds, of varying heights, and this adjustment can be readily effected by the operation of the screw -:t.

Thro ugh the enlarged forward end of the bas'eTplate A'ipasses the bolt 5, upon the outer portions of which are supported the lower. arins,j(i, of the yoke-bar C, which fit over the 'bolt 5 at such distance from the sides of the front two lateral yoke arms "or lugs, 11,"which are perforated to receive the adjustable center screws 12, provided with the set-nuts 13. Within these yoke-arms "11 *andupon the shown as broken away for the purpose of bet screws 4, which fit in suitable threaded sockholding barrel, as will hereinafter appear) to plate as to permit a slight lateral adjustment 7 'barC and proyidedjwiththe setrnuts36ij" this' je0nSt'ruction it willbe; seen that as th rel K','with its atta'ehedshell L, is'move'dbaekcenter screws 12 is sustained the rocking bar E, the ends of which are-bored out to admit the ends of the center screws 12, the front por tion of the rocking bar being formed of the enlargement E, having a recess, 14, therein to receive the end of the bar F. The bar F is held within the recess of the rocking bar by 17, which passes through a threaded perform,

tion in the enlargement and bears against the end of the bar. 'llheupper end of the bar F is secured within a suitable socket in the dependihg portion 1 S of the barrel-yoke G, by which the plate-holdingbarrel is carried.

To a standard or lug, 19, on the-top ofthe voke G is bolted the chilled ball G, upon which is held the clamp H, having a movable section, 20, controlled by the set-screw 21, and this clamp islt'urther provided with a' socket, with in which is held by tlie set-screw 22 the endof the rod H, by which a back-andtbrth motion is imparted to the barrel from the driving mechanism in a manner to be hereinafter de scribed.

Through suitable apertures in the sides of the barrel yoke G passj the center screws 23, provided with the jan rnuts 21L, and upon these center screws is pivotally hung the box-bearing I, furnished with suitable pivot-seats, 25,-and encircling and suppoiting the long casting K, designated the barrel. This box-bearingl is to be slipped in place over the small end of the barrel, which is provided at its larger end with the flange 26, to guard against displace ment.

To the barrel K isscrewed the steel shell or sleeve L,the outer surface of which is furnished with four oblique cam-grooves, 1.7 which intersect at.v the straight grooves28. The function of these cam-grooves is to impart to the barrel the rotation necessary to present successively the oppositefaces of the nail-plate to the action ofthe cutting-knives, as will hereinafter appear.

' Around the barrel K, over the shell L,"fits the collar M, which has upon opposite sides'jfthe :hollow bosses 29, through which prqiectfthe steel pins 30, the ends of which enter. thee-amgrooves of the shell. These pins'30 have each acircumferential groove,and are heldfseeurely in place by means of the keys 32, which are bent springs clasping around thesidesfof the enlargements 29, and having free endslwhich project through slots in these enlargements and enter the-grooves of the steel pins 30.

. In the sides'ofithe collar M are formedthe recesses or sockets 33, which receivethe e'nds of the center pins 34, passing throughthe 11pper portion of the e.

panded arms fofthe yokeerasin ward through the collar M the pins. 30 bear against the walls of the cam-grooves, and thus impart a quarter-revolution to the barrel, and when the motion is reversed and the barrel is movedrforward a further quarter-revolutin is given thereto by the action of the pins 30 against the walls of the ad; oining cam-grooves.

It will be noticed that the points of intersection of the cam-grooves of the steel shell are at one side of the center of each of the short straight grooves, the object of-this arrangement being to cause the pins 30 to travel with certainty into the proper groove as the movements are reversed, and thus insure-a c011- stant and uniform revolution of the barrel. In my former patent of October 10, 1882, the

cam-groo"es for the rotation of the barrel were formed directly upon the surface'of the barrel; but'practicelhas demonstrated that it is more advantageous to term these grooves'upon a' detachable-,shelhas in the present instance, for

the reason that the shell can be readily resteelsliellas much as possible, especially when i the machine is running at a very high rate of speed,l secureltothe plate-holding barrel a ring, N,-;whi ch abuts against the bearing-box I,'andhas formed integral therewith the in Ielined planes N, four in number,) having each the longand short sides 38 and 39. These inclined planes overlap the end of the bearingghost 1, aiidinthe hollow enlargements 40 of 1 the upper and lower sides of such box are held the plungers Iby means ofthe screws 41, which pass through the long slots 42 of the plungers. .jBehind the plunger-s, within the compartments," are the spiral compressionsprings 43,

'the tension of which is regulated by means of theadjusting-screws 4A, which pass through 'theendsfofthe enlargements of the box-bear ing'. The, inclined planes N are placed upon the barrel in such relation to,the cam-grooves of the shell that when the barrel is in its ex treine forward or backward position the plun gel-s will be forcedback' by the inclined planes, and the spiral springs will be so" compressed thatthey willexert such pressure'uponjthe plungersas to cause them, by the action of the inc-lined ends on the short sides of the plaiies, to slightly startthe rotation of the barrel, and fliiis ,a'voidiin great measure the wear which 'wouldiotlierwise occur to the pins and the shell L. f Thus when the pins 301are inithe Straight grooves at theend of a backward or forward stroketheplungers I are in position LtoQtiavel downthe short sides of the inclined ,planes, and their, pressure thereonfltendsio start the rotation of thebarrel, which begins as soon asythe pins .30 pass from the straight gldo es. f The revolution of the barrel thus ,b'eg nrbytheph ers "s contiiiued by thvac- *tion ofthe pinsf"1n"the* am g-rooves, and-the Fig. i of the drawings, these long and short links are provided, respectively, with the slot-s plungers now cease to act until near the end of the stroke, when, in order to prevent the checking of the barrel with a sudden shock,

the opposite sides of the plungers begin to travel up the long sides of the inclined planes, and thus offer resistance to the barrels rotation.

To the front of the machine-bed two hooks,

A", are secured, and over the upturned ends of each of these hooks fits the end of along link, 0, and the end of a short link, 0.

The ends of the lower links, which tit over the hook A, are provided with the hollow lugs o, integral therewith, on which the perforated ends of the upper links are securely held in a manner free 'to turn. As clearly shown in i5 and 46, and, as will be seen, the long links cross each other and overlap the short links in such manner that the clamping-bolts 47, passed through the'slightly-curved slots of the long links, will also pass through the slots ofthe T short links and enter the short bars 0; These short bars 0 are each provided at their ends with the center pins 48,- the ends of which are screwthreaded and fit correspondinglythreaded perforations in the sides of the upper part of the yoke-bar C, so that the link mechanism can swing freely on the center pins 48 when it'is desired to lift it from ottthe hooks A.

One advantage of connecting the yoke-bar the way, and this, too, without danger of dis arranging the parts. A further advantage-of attaching the yoke-bar to the machine-bed in the manner shown is that it enables the barrel supporting mechanism to be readily adjusted.

laterally or obliquelysidewise, according 'as it is required to give to the nails larger or smailerheads or sharper or more blunt points. J

Thelfir'st of these movements, itwill benoticed,

is effected by simply sliding the yoke-bar upon the bolt 5, and the motion obliquely sidewise to increase or diminish the points of the nails is accomplished by loosening the bolts 47 and swingingsidewise the yoke-bar C, the bolt 1 acting as apivot. \Vhen the desired adjust ment'is obtained, the parts will be fixed rigidly in place-by tightening the bolts 47.

In the present-machine, as in that heretofore patented to me, it is necessary that theinitial backward movement of the barrelshall besubstant'ially a-straight-one, so as to permit "the barrel to be slipped back upon the nail-plate, while the latteris still held firmly by the bite of the, cutting-knives, a sufficient distance to expose enough of tlhe-izplateito form the next succeeding nail. An initial'backwarll movement sufficiently straight for all practical purposes is obtained in this machine by simply adjusting the rest-plate D and rocking bar E to the machine until the centers of the rocking bar are in such position that a plane passed through them and the centers 23 will make a right angle with a line drawn throughthecenter of the plate-holding barrel. From this construction it will app ear that when motion is imparted to the barrel-yoke G, the latter, asit rocks upon the centers 12, tends to move the barrel at first in an approximately straight line.

For the purpose of increasing the wearing capacity of the barrel, and for the further purpose of enabling the various sizes of nailswhich the machine is capable of cutting to be made in the same barrel, l have provided the barrel with. the false nose'piece or end 'Pshown in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

This nosepiece' 1 is formed in one piece, hollowed out,

as shown, to permit the passage of the nail plate, and is provided with the expandedrecess shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7, adapted to fit over the contracted end 50 ot' the barrel.

Two lugs, 51, having perforations therein to receive set-screws 52, project from the nose piece and lie in the recesses 53 011 the sides of the barrel. 53 is enlarged, and the space thus formed is The base of each of the recessesv filled by the large head of the set-screw 52, so

that a perfectly-rigid connection of the nosepiece and the barrel is effected. The nosepiece I is preferably formed of hardened steel, and a separate nose-piece can be readily substituted to accommodate the different sizes of nail-plates.

around the small endof the barrel fits the clamping mechanism adapted to firmly bite the-end of the nail-plate during the operation consists of the springs-Q, having integral therewith the arms 55, which are bent partially around the barrel, and are hinged together at 56. TheElowerends-of the springs Q, bear upon the .naiLplate, and their upper ends have threaded perforations to receive the screws 57, which serve to hold the clamping mechanism on the barrel, and at the same time to regulate the of the machine, This clamping mechanism IIO pressure of the springs upon the plate. These screws'5'7 also serve as pivots, upon which a slight swinging movement is allowed to the clamping-springs, so that the nail-plate may always be fed properly against the guard. Two springs, Q, screwed to the side of the barrel and having their free ends under the bent arms 55, serve to keep-the clamping'mechanism central when not forced to one side by the guard.

I shall 'nowproceed to describe the mechanism whereby the back-and-forth motion is imparted to the plate-holding barrel.

The rod H, connected, as heretofore described, to the barrelgyoke G, is screwed into the end of the clamp H", which is connected Ito-a chilled hall, 'Hfl'fitting withinza socket formed in the housing of the clamp, andinthe movable seat-block 60, operated by means of the screw 61. The chilled ball H is carried by a shank, 62, held by suitable boxes resting upon the removable adjusting-strips 63 in the recess in the upper portion of the rocking standard R, and the position of the shank 62 in the standard is 'varied by changing; the adj usting-strips, and when adjusted the bolt is held by the screw 64. The rocking standard R is bowed to form a long central opening adapted to receive the arm 65 of the eccentric yoke S. This arm 65 is provided with a recess, within which is held the block 66, and is connected securely bolted to the bed of the machine.

Upon the side of this block T is formed alug, 72, through which pass the fiat steel springs T, held therein by means of the set-screw 73. The springs T are connected together by the sleeve 74:; but the central spring passes through the-sleeve and extends to and connects with the lug 75 upon the side of the rocking standard. By means of these fiat springs, attached in the manner shown, a more uniform and steady action of the rocking standard and connected mechanism is secured than would be possible otherwise.

The eccentric yoke S is made of separable sections connected togetherby bolts 76, and

the eccentric S, around which this yoke fits,

is loosely j ournaled upon the main driving shaft U, but derives motion therefrom through the medium of the shaft-collar 3, formed of sections bolted together and keyed to the shaft.

- The shaft-collar V is provided upon one side with the lug 77, which has a threaded perforation to receive the screw-bolt 7 S, the ends of which bear against the lugs 7 9, formed upon the side of the eccentric. By this means the eccentric can be readily adjusted on the driving shat't, and as this shaft imparts motion to the cutting mechanism it is obvious that the action of the eccentric,which gives movement to the plate-holding barrel, can be accurately timed with relation to the action of the cutters.

This feature is one of importance, as it is necessary that the eccentric shall operate in such manner that it will place the nail-plate be- 7 tween the cutters the instant the jaws are open,

'- aiid will start the backward movement of the plate-holding mechanism as soon as the plate is held by the bite of the knives. During the time that the knives hold the plate in making the cut the barrel will recede a sufficient distance to expose enough of the plate to form the next succeeding nail. V 1

An important advantage arising from the angs. sists, essentially, of a plate, \V, which rests above the bed-knife, and has a bent end, 80, wit-h shoulders 81, adapted to bear upon the tops of the hooks AZwhile the main portion of the bent end lies between the hooks and prevents the lateral displacement of the plate. In a central Zperforat-ion near the top of the plate \V is hooked the end of a wire red, X, which rod is provided with aloop, 82, at its opposite end, adapted to fit over the pin 83, connected beneath the barrel to the barrel-yoke G. this construction it will appear that at each 'use of the rocking standard attached to the connecting-rod in the manner 'shown' is that it enables a variation in the'length of stroke of the rod H to be readily effected after this rod has been approximately adjusted, and thus allows a most accurate eo-operation ofthe'cnt ters and pl'ateholding barrel to be secured. This is accomplished by simply changing the .adjustihgstrips in such way as to cause the chilled ball H to approach or recede from the pin 67, according as it is desired to shorten or lengthen the stroke of the rod H.

In order to discharge automatically the fbutts or ends of the nail-plates not large [enough to form nails, I have provided the mech anism illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 of the draw- Ihis butt-discharging mechanism con From backward movement of the barrel-yoke the end of the plate WV next the cutters is lifted slightly, and this jarring action serves to discharge over the front of the machine the butts .as they fall upon the plate.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming features shown in my former patent. Upon :careful comparison of the machine embraced in such patent with the construction above described it will be seen that they differ in Va rious particulars which practice has demoir strated to be of value. Thus in the patent'the plate-holding barrel was supported by a single rocking yoke -bar, and the collar through which the barrel was mox'ed in receiving revolution was sustained upon the bed of the machine, which was provided with means whereby an initial straight backward movement could be given to the barrel. In the present case I have provided the separate yoke-bar for supporting the barrel, and the separate rockingbar for moving the same, and have supported these bars in a manner diiferent from that shown of supporting the yoke-bar of the pat ent, whereby an initial backward movement of the barrel may be obtained and an adjust ment of the barrel may be effected. Moreover, the link mechanism for connecting the. yoke bar to the machine-bed is a novel feature 'of.i1nportance, as also are the nose-piece and removable grooved. shell, constructed aside-- scribed. In my former patent theplat e-holding barrel was driven from an eccentric held loosely upon the driving-shaft and receiving motion therefrom Tby'means of a collar keyed to the shaft, and having a lug that projected between threaded lugs upon the side of the eccentric which were provided withtwo adjusting-screws, and the eccentric yoke in the patent was connected directly to the connectingrod leading to the plate-holding barrel. In the present construction, as has been seen, the connecting-rod is adjustably'attaehed 'to the top of a separate rocking standard that receives motion from the eccentric yoke, and the eccentric is held adjustably with relation to the fixed collar by means of the single screw-bolt passing through the threaded lug of thecollar and bearing against the lugs on the side of the eccentric. The several novel features of my present invention have been embraced in the following claims, in combination with the parts with which they coact,.and constitute the distinctive elements of such combinations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The combination, with the machine-bed, of the vertically adjustable base -plate, the yoke-bar 0, link mechanism connected to the machine-bed and pivoted to said yoke-bar, and the plateholding barrel and operating mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the baseeplate, 0f the laterally-adjustable yoke-bar C, the link mechanism, constructed substantially as described, connecting said yoke-bar to the machine-bed, the plate-holding barrel, and operating mechanism, substantially as set forth;

3. The combination, with the machine-bed, of the base-plate A", pivotally connected thereto, the yoke-bar G, the link mechanism, constructed substantially as described, connecting the yoke-bar to the machine-bed, the plateholding barrel, and operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the machinebed, ofthe base-plate, the yoke-bar C, hinged to said base-plate, and mechanism to detachably connect said yoke-bar to the machine-bed, sub stantially as described.

5. The combination, with the machine-bed having the hooks thereon, of the base plate A", the yoke-bar C, and the link mechanism, constructed substantially as described, connected to said yoke-bar and detachably connected by the hooks to the machine-bed, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the machine-bed, of the base-plate A pivotally connected thereto, the laterally-adjustable yoke-bar O, pivoted to said base-plate, the link mechanism connecting said yoke-bar to the machine-bed, the plateholding barrel, and mechanism for operating the same, substantially as described.

'7. The combination, with the yoke-bar C, of the rest -plate adjustably connected to said yoke-bar, the rocking bar piwotahy sustained on said rest'plate, and mechanism for eonnect ing said rocking bar with the plat-eholding barrel, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel, oi a. yoke barf-G forsustaining said substantially as described. 9. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel K, of thecollar M, the yoke-bar 0, pin

otallyconnected to said collar, and the barrel yoke G, in pivotal connection with the plateholding barrel and supported upon a rocking bar, E, substantially as described.

10. The combinat'on, with the base-plate, of the yoke-bar O, the plate-holding barrel K, the barrel-yoke, and the rocking bar pivotally connecting said barrel-yoke with the yokebar, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel, of the detachableshell having intersecting grooves arranged relatively to each other, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with the plate-holding ?barrel and mechanism for rotating the same, of the inclined planes and the collar carrying the spring-seated plungers, substantially as: described.

, 13. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel and mechanism for imparting thereto a back-and-forwafd motion, of the grooved shell, the box-bearing, and the pins held in saidboX-bearing, substantially as described,

14. The combination of the plate-holding barrel with the nose-piece P, constructed substantially as described, and detachably connected to the barrel, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel having a reduced and recessed end, of the nose-piece I, having the lugs 51, adapted to fit into the recesses in the end of said barrel, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with the plate-holding barrel, of the clamping-springsQ, having the arms 55, hinged together, and adjusting- I screws for said springs, substantially as described.

17. .The combination, with the plateholding barrel, of the clamping-springs connected IIO together, and the side springs for centering said clampingsprings, substantially as described.

18. The combination, with the cuttingknives, of the plate of the butt-discharging mechanism, the barrel-yoke, and the rod connecting the two, substantially as described.

19. The combination, with the driving-shaft, ot' the eccentric loosely j ournaled on said shaft and having lugs upon its side, the shaftcollar' carrying an adj usting-bolt to operate said eccentric, the eccentric yoke, and mechanism for communicating motion from the eccentric yoke to the plate-holding barrel, substantially as described.

20. The combination, with the driving-shaft, ot'the eccentric, the eccentric yoke, the shaftcolla-r, the rocking standard, and mechanism for communicating motion therefrom to the plateholding barrel, substantially as described.

21. The combination, with the driving-shaft, of the eccentric, the eccentric yoke, the shaftcollar, the rocking standard, the springs coni clamp H adjustably connected to the rocknected with the rocking: standard, and meehing standard, the rod H, and the plate-holdanism for communicating motion therefrom to ing barrel, substantially as described.

the plate-holding barrel, substantially as det JOHN F. HAMMOND. 5 scribed. \Vitnesses:

22. The combination, with the eccentric FERDINAND STREITZ,

mechanism, of the rocking standard R, the I E. W. SIMERAL. 

